That Which Is Still In Transit (Then Again, Aren't We All?)

ON LOSING MY SHOWERCAP
(Moving House, Christmas, 2006)
—Kathy Kieth, Pollock Pines

It’s cold up here: freezing, in fact:
falling snow: I feel stuffy, so
no wet head allowed: hair dryer’s lost
[we went through that yesterday], so

where is the showercap: I think
it’s in that green box under two
or three others [put away this ‘n that,
feed the cat, take out the garbage]:

back to that green box again: where
is my showercap? Damn this sealing
tape, go hunt for the scissors [turn up
the heat, shut the curtains, find something

for Sam]: where are those scissors [trip
over boxes that weren’t there five minutes
ago]: order a pizza and hunt for ten
minutes for the tissues [still stuffy]: where

is my purse to pay the pizza guy; it was
right here! And no, the showercap
wasn’t in the green box…

_______________________

Need I say more? The new Rattlesnake Reviews are still in Transit Limbo (and no, they're not in the green box); I'll get my act together soon, really I will.

Meanwhile, enjoy your holidays! A couple of events this weekend:

•••Saturday, Dec. 30, 7-9 PM: The Show Poetry Series features Rodzilla, Red Fox Underground Poet and soon-to-be rattlechapper Brigit Truex, Brittney Robinson, and Luke Breit. Wo'se Community Center, 2863 35th St., Sac. $5. 916-208-7638.

•••Sunday, Dec. 31, 4-7 PM: Community Kwanzaa includes music, dancing, and spoken-word performances, plus children's crafts, with a potluck to follow the program. Center for Spiritual Awareness, 1020 W. Capitol Ave., West Sac. Free. 916-374-9177.

•••Remember: No Sacramento Poetry Center Reading on New Year's Day. Instead, head over to Davis. The Other Voice Reading Series, hosted by James Lee Jobe at the Unitarian Church, is always on the first Monday of the month, usually with featured readers followed by an open reading. But when that Monday happens to be a holiday, it is all open mic. For Monday, January 1st, it is an anti-war open reading. Bring those political poems, your own or ones you've come across in your reading, and come on out to Davis. This is New Year's NIGHT, not New Year's Eve, so your parties will all be over; come make a statement. For details, directions, and even a map, please check out http://uupoetry.blogspot.com. [And see below for a poem by JLee.]

_______________________

Alas, Medusa isn't officially back yet, though; I shall return to regular posts after New Year's, at which point we'll start advertising the release of the next rattlechap, Vic 'n Me, by Pearl Stein Selinksy (reading/release party Jan. 10). Meanwhile, the kind and merciful JLJobe has leapt into the breach with a fine Yule poem which yule enjoy, I'm sure:

YULE 2006
—James Lee Jobe, Davis

Yule. A quarter moon southwesters in early evening.
From the darkness above, the lonely sounds of geese.

An uneasiness, an uncertainty lies across the earth.
An old cat with no tail watches the empty street.

Valley oaks, long nude of leaves, whisper in a chill wind.
Commanding clouds slide in, covering the moon; thick, strong.

In some other world, it's war. Iraq. Somalia. Afghanistan.
Soldiers die, civilians die—hard politics. Hatred.

Not here. Here, in bottomland, wild herons hunt. Free.
People go to the market and buy tomatoes, oranges.

No one believes that this evil will happen to their children.
And no one speaks out against the evil that they cannot see.

_______________________

Thanks, James Lee! And Happy New Year to Jim and to everyone else!!

—Medusa

Medusa encourages poets of all ilk and ages to send their poetry, photos and art, and announcements of Northern California poetry events to kathykieth@hotmail.com for posting on this daily Snake blog. Rights remain with the poets. Previously-published poems are okay for Medusa’s Kitchen, as long as you own the rights. (Please cite publication.)